Rema Celebrates His First Hot 100 Top 10 Hit With “Calm Down”
Nigerian superstar Rema has achieved a historic milestone with his hit single “Calm Down” remix featuring Selena Gomez, as it climbed to No.8 on the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart. This marks the highest charting African song on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Wizkid‘s “Essence” remix feat Tems and Justin Bieber.
Trying to hold in the tears, I know how hard I worked to get my sound here, I’m grateful to God for how far I’ve come. Love to the ones who believed & love to the Queen @selenagomez ✌🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/yRqATHMjXf
— REMA (@heisrema) March 21, 2023
Originally released in February 2022 as one of the lead singles from Rema’s debut album “Raves & Roses,” “Calm Down” quickly gained local and international success. The addition of Selena Gomez to the remix further propelled its popularity, making it one of the biggest crossover Afrobeats songs in history.
The single’s success is not limited to the charts, as it has amassed over a billion streams across all platforms and over 230 million views on YouTube, making it the most-watched Nigerian music video on the platform.
The success of “Calm Down” has also earned Rema his first RIAA platinum plaque, with the remix expected to sell over 2 million units in the coming weeks.
This accomplishment marks a significant achievement for Rema and the Afrobeats genre, further solidifying its global influence and appeal. It also highlights the power of cross-cultural collaborations and the impact they can have on elevating and expanding the reach of African music to new audiences around the world.
Rema’s success with “Calm Down” serves as a testament to the rising prominence and potential of the Nigerian and African music industry, as well as the immense talent and creativity of its artists.
